


(I can't) help you understand

by sandpapersnowman



Category: Talented Mr Ripley (1999)
Genre: M/M, Pining, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-03
Updated: 2018-12-03
Packaged: 2019-09-06 04:54:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 444
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16825537
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sandpapersnowman/pseuds/sandpapersnowman
Summary: Tom has loved spending time with Dickie in italy; Italy is beautiful, and so is he.





	(I can't) help you understand

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Vinsachi](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vinsachi/gifts).
  * Translation into Русский available: [(не могу) тебе подсказать](https://archiveofourown.org/works/16854454) by [Vinsachi](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vinsachi/pseuds/Vinsachi)



> something a lil bittersweet that I actually wrote MONTHS ago and forgot to post. title is bastardized from siames' [No Honey](www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/siames/nohoney.html)
> 
> and!! dedicated to Vinsachi who has left a few really wonderful comments and even translated one of my fics! they've been a delight to chat with and I hope they enjoy this, short as it may be :')

Italy is beautiful.

Dickie takes him everywhere; Naples, Rome, Venice, Verona -- 

_God_ , Verona. They stayed up all night looking out the hotel room window and talking about the people passing by and looking at the stars.

When dawn began barely peeking at the horizon, Dickie took his hand. He threaded their fingers together and leaned in close and whispered, "What light through yonder window breaks, huh?"

Tom just stared, distracted with Dickie's fingers laced through his, and Dickie continued. His voice got softer and his face got closer, and he whispered again, "It is the East, and you are the sun."

He sounded so heartfelt, and his other hand went to Tom's cheek.

"Fair sun. Two of the fairest stars in all the heavens do entreat your eyes."

Tom didn't know what the hell he was saying, but it sounded like something sweet about the stars being in his eyes and him being the sun, and Dickie's smile widened and Tom's heart skipped because that was it, Dickie was going to kiss him, _finally_ ,

And then Dickie pulled away, cackled out, "It's Shakespeare, Tom!" and took another swig from the beer on the windowsill.

Tom looks at Dickie on the beach beside him and smiles at the memory. He'd been embarrassed, but he understands. He'd been about to kiss him, absolutely, but that's a big leap to make not knowing if Tom likes men or feels the same (even if the latter is painfully obvious), especially when he's staying at Dickie's house.

Dickie is wearing his swim shorts with the stripes, dark horizontal grays stretching over his thighs and the shape between his legs. He saw Dickie's manhood clear as day when they'd played chess in the bathroom, one of the first nights he'd stayed there. He's seen it since, too, changing in the same rooms and all. It's not like he means to look, but Dickie doesn't seem to care about stripping in front of him, so it's not like he's being strange. 

"What are you looking at, Tom?"

He might have been staring this time, though.

"Nothing," Tom says, beaming at him. "You're just so much tanner than me."

Dickie laughs and claps a hand down on Tom's shoulder. He squeezes, and Tom's smile gets shy. He always gets shy when Dickie touches him.

"Don't get yourself too upset about it," Dickie jokes. "We'll get you there."

Tom would love to lay closer to him on their towel, let the sun soak into them both with nothing between them, but they're in public. Dickie probably wouldn't let him anyway, even if they weren't. 

Tom can live with it; it's enough for now.


End file.
